• K^Q- 







LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




00010577012 




Class g / ' / _ 

Book ^±- 

GopyrigM 

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT: 



ESSAY 



ON THE 



Life of Our Patriotic Admiral 



Christopher Columbus 



BY 



MRS. R. KITCHEN 






BLOOMSBURG, PA. 






LiBRARY of CONGRESS 
Two CoDies Received 

mar j iaoy 

Copyritfut antry 

XLASS C>- XXe, Mo. 

COPY 3. 



J 



* 



COPYRIGHTED, 1908 

BY 

MRS. R. KITCHEN 

BLOOMSBURG, PA. 




PREFACE 

In placing this work before the public my highest am- 
bition is to arouse the latent powers of the youth of our 
land, by our teachers, to a more ardent study of our 
world's discovery. The same being who, by the word of 
His power, called into existence this earth of ours, gave 
to Christopher Columbus the keys to unlock its majestic 
waters and open up for us a new world, our home, the 
Western Continent. In the public schools of this land 
we have the millions who are to be the workers and 
leaders of the future. Useful reforms can be accomplish- 
ed by the enthusiastic teacher. We are told the number 
of school teachers in the United States is more than a 
half million, of whom nearly four hundred thousand are 
women. Her education does not stop with the primary 
school, but is found in the college and university; she 
is welcomed in the educational ranks to mould and form 
our future patriots, and oft to glean their scattered ashes 
into memory's sacred urn. 

Dear Children what you learn, learn well; 

Great minds reap store from this, 
Should you be asked to give advice 

Stored talent, motors bliss. 



Christopher Columbus 



Since the hour when the star of civilization first rose to 
light man's pathway through the years, patriotism has 
dwelt in the hearts of the people. Even before humanity 
threw off the shackles of barbarity and welcomed the 
dawning light of a new era the seeds of patriotism had 
taken root in the callous heart of man. When social and 
intellectual attainments were as yet dim lights in the dis- 
tance, a man's reason was little better than the brute's 
instinct; loyalty and love of country seemed to have pre- 
dominated over all other sentiments. 

Man might wage war against man, brother slay 
brother, and all the base and barbarous nature with 
which beings were endowed, be exhibited, yet there was 
one shrine at which they all bowed down alike and that 
was at the altar of patriotism. Other stars have arisen 
and illumined the world for brief time with their glorious 
radience and then faded into oblivion ; but this is a fixed 
planet, deathless and sublime which shall never grow dim 
until time has run its course. 

Generation after generation passes away and new ones 
file in to take their places, bringing with them new cus- 



6 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

toms and new laws, but through all the changes and 
vicissitudes of life patriotism still lives. History thrills 
us with its records of our illustrious patriots, it has gar- 
landed their brows with laurel and erected an imperish- 
able monument to their memory. They pass away but 
their names are inscribed in their country's history and 
their memory enshrined in the hearts of nations. 

Read the history of bygone years and blush for your 
own loyalty, ye whose patriotism is but luke warm. Does 
not the heart thrill and the eyes glow when the glorious 
career of our dead and gone patriot Columbus is depicted. 
His watchword was "God and Country." It was im- 
printed on the tablet of his heart and emblazoned on his 
banners. He hurled it from his tongue in thundering 
accents and set it rolling down the ages until we of the 
present century claim it as our own. 

He needed no instruction on the subject of patriotism, 
it was born with him, and grew stronger with his growth 
and lived and flourished and was as deathless as the 
laurel wreath which crowned the victors brow. The 
spark of patriotism implanted within his nature was 
kindled to a flame, and was kept on burning for eighteen 
years after he had formed the design of pursuing the 
course which he afterwards followed, of crossing the 
Atlantic in search of new countries toward the west. 
This extraordinary man was led to believe that these 
countries existed by a number of concurring circum- 
stances, such as pieces of wood nicely carved and trees 
apparently from distant countries had been thrown upon 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 7 

the western coast of the Madeiras, and what was still 
more decisive the bodies of two men had been washed 
upon the coast of a strange color and unusual appear- 
ance. 

Columbus was born in Genoa, Italy, in the year of 
1435. He was trained for the sea from his childhood, 
though taught in the school of adversity it proved no 
barrier to his success. Being the eldest of four children 
and his father a poor wool comber and weaver, much care 
devolved upon him. It is said at thirty his hair was 
white from trouble and anxiety. His kind and loving 
disposition is proved by the fact that in his poorest days 
he saved part of his pittance to educate his younger 
brothers and support his aged father. Columbus was 
determined, shrewd and intensely religious. He be- 
lived and announced himself to be divinely called to 
carry the true faith into the uttermost parts of the 
earth. Inspired by this thought, no discouragement, 
whatever, which might come in his way, could drive 
him to utterly despair. These facts confirmed Columbus 
in his belief and made him still more anxious to set out 
on a voyage of discovery. But where or how was he to 
get the means? He was poor and had no ships of his 
own. He could only lay his plans before the different 
powers of Europe and implore their aid. First, he tried 
his own countrymen, the Genoese, but without success; 
then he went to Portugal. The King of this country 
listened to his arguments, but wishing to have the honor 
of the discovery all to himself, basely deceived Columbus, 



8 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

and sent out a vessel on the proposed course under an- 
other commander. The expedition, however, failed as it 
deserved to do. 

Columbus next turned to Spain which was then ruled 
by the famous Ferdinand and his wife Isabella. He had, 
by this time, become so poor that on his way to the 
court he had to beg for bread. The King remained in- 
different and pleaded the want of funds. Columbus dis- 
appointed — but not moved from his purpose — was about 
to quit Spain for England, where his brother Bartholo- 
mew had already been sent to present his plans to Henry 
VII. By the orders of Isabella he was desired to relin- 
quish his intention of soliciting the patronage of foreign 
courts, and invited him into her presence with every 
mark of condescension and respect. 

As every pure and noble minded woman is God's best 
gift to man, so the Queen proved to be to Columbus. 
She shielded him from the calumny of his enemies, and 
determined to fit out three vessels for the enterprise, if 
she had to pledge her jewels to raise the necessary money. 
His feelings of patriotism and devotion to her I leave to 
your imagination, as they are beyond the power of 
human conception. No pen can write or thoughts ex- 
press them. 

Orders were issued that a squadron should be fitted 

out from the harbor of Palos. It consisted of three 

vessels. The art of building ships was then rude and 

n its infancy, and as distant voyages were comparatively 

unknown the largest of the vessels were of inconsider- 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 9 

able dimensions, the others were not much above the size 
of ordinary boats. 

The Queen's sacrifice was not required as St. Angel, 
the Court Treasurer, advanced most of the money and 
the friends of Columbus the balance. The expense of 
building and equipping was not more than $20,000, equal 
to six times that amount at the present day. They had 
on board food for twelve months and ninety men, most 
of whom were obtained with the greatest difficulty, as 
the boldest seaman shrank from such a desperate under- 
taking. All things being ready, Columbus, influenced by 
devotional feelings, went with those under his authority 
in solemn procession to the monastery of Rabida and 
there, confessing his sins and partaking of the sacrement, 
he implored the blessing of heaven throughout the voy- 
age which he designed to undertake. Columbus was 
now 57 years old. 

Just as the sun was rising over the billows of the 
ocean, on the third of August, 1492, he set sail from the 
harbor of Palos, in the Santa Maria, the largest of the 
vessels which had been fitted out at his desire. The 
others were called the Pinta, and the Nina, the former 
of which was commanded by Martin Alonza Pinzon, and 
the latter by Vincent Yanez Pinzon, his brother. In 
six days the Admiral reached the Canaries without any 
occurrence deserving of particular notice, except only 
that the rudder of the Pinta broke loose, an accident 
which the superstition of his associates interpreted as an 
omen at once unfavorable and alarming. 



10 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

After a detention of over three weeks and refitting at 
the Canaries, Columbus proceeded (September 6th) on 
his voyage. He passed into seas which no vessel had 
yet entered, without a chart to direct him and without 
any knowledge of the tides which might interrupt his 
progress. Many of the sailors reflecting on the hazard- 
ous nature of the enterprise began already to beat their 
breasts in dejection and dismay, and relinquished all 
hope of visiting again their country and their friends. 
Not so with Columbus. He was admirably qualified for 
the expedition which he had undertaken. He was patient 
and persevering, master of himself and skillful in the 
government of other men. In naval science as well as 
experience, he was far superior to any of his associates. 
He conducted everything by his presence and authority 
allowing himself but a few hours for the necessary re- 
freshment of his body. At all other times he was upon 
deck noting the flight of birds, the depth of the 
ocean, and the appearance of the weeds which floated 
upon its surface. He advanced rapidly before the trade 
wind, which blows invariably from the east within the 
tropics, judiciously concealing from his men the number 
of leagues they had sailed; so great was the ignorance 
of his companions that none of them was able to detect 
it. At this time they were distant nearly 200 leagues 
from the most westerly of the Canaries, and then the 
magnetic needle was observed to vary from its direction 
to the polar star and incline toward the west, an appear- 
ance which is now familiar but for which philosophy has 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 11 

in vain attempted to account. It was the occasion of 
serious alarm in the breast of Columbus, and it filled his 
associates with a terror by no means unreasonable. On 
the night of the 14th of September a very brilliant meteor 
flamed through the sky and fell into the oecan at a dis- 
tance of but a few miles from the ships. This greatly in- 
creased the alarm of the superstitious mariners. 

Columbus had said that he did not expect to find land 
within the distance of about three thousand miles, still 
they were on an expanse of water which had never been 
seen by mortal man, and far from the track of other 
navigators. All around them was uncertain, all before 
them was unknown. Nature seemed to be departing 
from her steadiness, and the guide on whom they had 
formerly relied, appeared to be no longer entitled to 
their confidence. At this crisis, with astonishing pres- 
ence of mind, Columbus declared that the needle did not 
point directly to the pole, but that in particular circum- 
stances it described a compass around it, a solution 
though wholly unsatisfactory to himself had the effect 
of silencing the murmurings of his crew. The alarm, 
however, to which the variation of the needle gave rise 
was not the only difficulty which Columbus had to sur- 
mount. In a short time after that phenomenon had been 
observed the murmurs of his sailors broke out with greater 
violence, first among the ignorant and wavering ; but the 
disaffection, spreading gradually, reached at length those 
more adventurous and better informed and extended with 
unpropitious influence through the whole fleet. The men 



12 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

blamed their sovereign for listening inconsiderately to 
the schemes of a dreaming adventurer, and for sporting 
with the lives of his subjects, in order to carry them into 
execution. The indications of land had all proved 
fallacious. They would be amused and deceived no longer. 
They resolved that Columbus be forced to relinquish an 
undertaking which seemed to issue nothing but un- 
avoidable destruction, and some of the more daring 
talked of throwing him into the sea as a visionary pro- 
jector whose death would never excite attention, or if 
inquired into, would be considered as merited by his 
rashness and folly. In the midst of this disaffection the 
admiral appeared with a steady and cheerful countenance 
as if pleased with what he had done. He soothed his 
companions and expostulated with them. He endea- 
vored at one time to influence their desire of riches, and 
at another their love of fame. He assumed a tone of au- 
thority, and threatened them with the vengeance of their 
sovereign, and with everlasting infamy, if they should 
abandon him in the prosecution of this undertaking. The 
patience and fortitude which he displayed in the manage- 
ment of his men and in dispelling their mutiny is one 
of the grandest examples of patriotism which the world 
has ever applauded. 

The apprehensions of the crew at length prevailed over 
the remonstrances of the admiral ; they assembled tumul- 
tously upon deck and officers and men all insisted upon 
returning immediately to Spain. At last Columbus 
yielded so far as to promise that if land was not dis- 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 13 

covered within three days he would return. How anx- 
iously he watched during that time, and how high his 
heart beat with hope when signs of land actually appear- 
ed. The water grew shallower. Flocks of little birds 
came around the vessels. A staff curiously wrought and 
adorned was taken up by the Pinta. Weeds were ob- 
served. A branch bearing fresh berries was found float- 
ing on the sea. A light was perceived at a distance, and 
appeared to move from place to place, as if carried by 
some fisherman or traveler. Those tokens were de- 
cisive and joyous, and Columbus did not fail to make use 
of them in elevating the hopes, and diminishing the appre- 
hensions of his associates. 

He gave orders that the Ships should lie-to, and on 
the morning of the 12th of October an island appeared. 

The crew of the Pinta began the Te Deum. 

"Land! Land!" cry the sailors. "Land! Land!" he 
awake, which was echoed by the others. Look! Look! 
they behold it; it blesses their sight. The sailors were 
now frantic with delight. They were ready to worship 
Columbus whom a little while before they had talked of 
throwing into the sea, and looked up to him as one whom 
the Deity had endowed with penetration above the com- 
mon lot of mortals. When the day dawned the land 
was plainly seen. 

A pleasant land it was. There was gay flowers and tall 
trees, with leaves and fruit such as they had never seen 
before. On the shore were unclad copper-colored men, 
gazing in wonder at the Spanish Ships. They took the 



14 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

ships for great birds; the white sails for their wings, 
and the Spaniards as being of a higher order who had the 
thunder and lightning at their command. They regarded 
them as the children of the sun who had decended from 
heaven to abide for a while among the inhabitants of 
earth. Columbus landed in a gorgeous dress and with a 
drawn sword in his hand and the Royal Standard dis- 
played. He then planted the Cross and took possession 
of the country in the name of the King and Queen of 
Spain. 

All his followers kneeling on the shore and kissing the 
ground, with tears of joy returned thanks to the giver 
of all good for their successful voyage. (As sunshine and 
the atmosphere under skillful treatment portrays to us 
all the hidden beauties of nature, so he, guided by the 
rays of the same divine influence and early instructed 
piety, combined with honest toil and by dint of his own 
perseverance and energy, climbed to the topmost round 
of the ladder of fame, and carried with him that patriot- 
ism which gilded his name with honor and placed him 
in possession — had he known it— of the Western Hemi- 
sphere). 

The land thus discovered was one of the Bahama Is- 
lands in the Atlantic Ocean, between North and South 
Africa. He named it San Salvidor. Thinking that he was 
now in the East Indies he called the natives Indians. All 
the islands of this region are still known as the West 
Indies. 

Columbus soon left San Salvidor to make further dis- 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 15 

coveries, in the course of which he touched at Cuba and 

Haiti. At the last named he lost one of his ships and left 
some of his men as a colony. After collecting specimens 

of the productions and inducing several of the natives to 

embark with him, he set out to retrace his course to 

Spain. 

On the return voyage a terrific storm arose. Fearing 
shipwreck, Columbus wrote an account of his discoveries, 
and sealed it up in a cask which he threw into the sea, 
hoping that if he and his men were lost it would be 
picked up and made known to the world. But it was 
not God's will that he should perish thus. His ships, 
though shattered, brought him safe to port. 

He landed amid the firing of cannons and hastened to 
bear the news of his success to Ferdinand and Isabella. 
The whole nation took a holiday. His appearance was 
hailed with shouts and the ringing of bells. Thousands 
crowded around him on his way to Court. The streets 
and windows were lined with people. The King and 
Queen were dazzled by their new and sudden acquisi- 
tion. They sank upon their knees and thanked God for 
such a signal triumph. The Indians he had brought with 
them were looked at with as much wonder as if they had 
come from the moon. With no less wonder did they 
gaze at the strange scenes about them. The news of the 
discovery threw all Europe into excitement. Wonderful 
stories were told about the new land in the west.. Many 
believed that gold grew on trees, and that diamonds were 
as common there as stones in other counties. Those who 



16 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

had before laughed at Columbus now thought that their 
fortune would be made if they could only get to the land 
he had discovered. 

. ."To the West!" "To the West!" was the cry of every 
bold navigator that could fit out a vessel. 

Columbus himself undertook several voyages to the 
new world, planted a colony and built a city in the island 
of Hispaniola or St. Dominga. To this city he gave the 
name of Isabella, in honor of the Queen under whose pat- 
ronage he sailed. On his third voyage, in A. D. 1498, he 
first reached the mainland, near the mouth of the Orinoca 
in South America, landing at different places on the coast 
of Paria and Cumana and surveying their beauty and 
fertility with great admiration. Meanwhile murmurs 
arose among those he had brought with him, because they 
did not find gold so plenty as they had expected. His 
enemies, too, spread false reports about him in Spain. 
Moved by these stories and forgetting all he had done, 
the King and Queen unjustly deprived him of his com- 
mand, and his successor went so far as to send him back 
to Spain in chains. This ingratitude cut Columbus to 
the heart. He carried his chains with him wherever he 
went, and ordered that when he died they should be 
buried with him. Though he proved his innocence he 
was never restored to his authority. 

On his fourth voyage, then an old man, he was wrecked 
on the coast of Jamaica. He and his men were thus left 
to the mercy of the Indians. The Indians had at first 
been very friendly, but during his absence the Spaniards 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 17 

had cruely treated them, forced them to work and even 
robbed them of their gold. Such treatment had awakened 
a thirst for vengeance. When wrecked, therefore, they 
not only left him and his men to starve, but even threaten- 
ed to attack them. At this crisis Columbus saved his 
party by his knowledge of astronomy. He knew that on 
a certain night an eclipse of the moon would take place. 
Collecting the natives around him shortly before the time 
he told them that the Great Spirit was angry because they 
would not aid the Spaniards, and that he would hide his 
face from them that very night.. The moon gradually 
became dark and the natives believing that God was thus 
showing his displeasure, fell on their knees, promised 
Columbus abundant supplies, and prayed that he would 
ask the Great Spirit to show his face once more. When 
the eclipse was over, they kept their word. With their 
help he succeeded in getting back to Haiti. Truly God 
moved in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform. 
On his return to Spain Columbus found that his friend, 
Queen Isabella was dead, which proved to be the last 
of his good fortune. There was nobody now to do this 
great man honor. 

At length his dying hour came, on the 20th of May, 
A. D. 1506. He welcomed the approach of death as a 
friendly messenger to remove him from care and pain. 
His last act was to partake of the Holy Sacrament. His 
last words were, "Into Thy Hands, O Lord, I commend 
my Spirit." His remains were first deposited in the 
church of Santa Marie de la Antigua. After seven years, 



18 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

in 1513, they were removed to the Carthusian monastery 
of Las Cuevas of Seville. Twenty-three years after- 
wards they were transferred, with those of his son Don 
Deigo, to the cathedral of the city of San Damingo. But 
even here they were not allowed to remain. Upon the 
cessation of the island *o the French, in the year A. D 
1797, they were again removed by the Spanish authorities 
to the cathedral of Havana, in Cuba. His final resting 
place, in the cathedral at Havana, his ashes now lie, and 
when the trump of God shall sound and awake the sleep- 
ing dust a promised crown awaits him. 

Among those who visited this New World shortly after 
its discovery was Amerigo Vespucci. After his return 
to Europe he wrote an account of his voyage, containing 
a great many interesting but untrue stories. Among 
other things he falsely claimed to have reached the main- 
land before Columbus. He had his narrative so framed 
as to rob Columbus of the honor he so justly deserved. 
The consent of all nations has bestowed the name of 
America on the Western Continent, and at this distance 
of time we can only regret an act of injustice, which 
custom has forced us to sanction. 

But here I can truly endorse that the heart of every 
true American reveres Europe for the production of 
that brave and noble man. The most distinguished 
patriot that adorns the page of history, and the first 
civilized man known to tread on the Western Continent, 
which might have remained unknown to Europeans till 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 19 

this day had it not been for the genius of this one great 
man, the discoverer of America, Christopher Columbus. 

Although 4 3-4 centuries have passed since Columbus 
was born, 415 years since his discovery of America, and 
302 years since his death, his star of patriotism will never 
die, but will shine throughout remote generations. His 
works, his influence on the age in which he lived, have 
been handed down and honored through all these years, 
and will be honored by Centuries yet unknown. 

To whom did America and all Nations pay homage and 
honor in the 400th Anniversary of the Discovery of 
America, by the magnificient display of the World's 
Columbian Exposition? To the memory of him whose 
arduous Life and courage faced ridicule, stood staunch 
and true through adversity, severed the ties of home 
and kindred, and faced even death on an unknown ocean 
for the cause of discoveries, our brave and patriotic Ad- 
rr.iral, Christopher Columbus. 




20 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 



HISTORY, MEMORY AND PATRIOTISM 

Three things in life I'll always keep 
Three things that ne'er grow old 

I treasure then God's previous gifts 
And prize them as pure gold. 

What prompted the noble mind of Betsy Ross, when 
keen cenception and deft fingers, planned and made our 
first National Flag, the proud emblem of our nation? Did 
she not catch the angelic vision of the history of his 
patriotism learned in youth mirrored in her mind, in- 
fluencing her life giving to us a memorial, more enduring 
than marble. 

Oh, Mothers of America, may the right hand of each 
one of us be the guiding star to impress on the early 
minds of childhood the first and best picture to gaze upon 
should be the Stars and Stripes. May we teach the youth 
of our land the principles of patriotism, this legacy of 
our Fathers, handed down to us through suffering, blood 
and death, must be perpetuated through proper teach- 
ing of patriotism in our schools. No nation can con- 
tinue secure if the youth are neglected in regard to its 
teaching. ' Be thou perpetual, Oh, free America, the 
proudest nation, the greatest nation, the grandest nation 
on the globe. 

Doubtless you have heard of the Columbian Liberty 
Bell, exhibited at the World's Fair, and since in many of 



CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 21 

the principal cities of our country. Its weight is 13,000 
pounds, each of the thirteen colonies being represented 
by 1,000 pounds, Type of our first flag and the equality 
that binds every State, small or great, into the one great 
Union of States. It is said that over 100,000 persons 
throughout the land contributed to the casting of this 
great bell. We cannot pick out their individual differ- 
ences of ancestry, race, politics, or creed. Each one made 
his contribution, and the whole volume of sound is richer 
and fuller because of it. There is but one tongue, one 
body, one voice. And as each new star of state shine out 
in its brilliancy on our banner as it proudly floats over 
our schools and over our land from ocean to ocean con- 
secrating our noble dead, teaching us as a nation, our 
discoverer's command, Sail on, Sail on, Sail on. 

The Eastern World against him, 

He cared not for its frown. 
The Western world before him 

Contains our starry crown. 






22 CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS 

WHO DISCOVERED AMERICA? 

When and where was Columbus born? 
What had he been trained for from childhood? 
What is said of him at the age of thirty? 
How much of the world was then known? 
What did Columbus believe? 
Who helped him on his voyage; 
How old was he at this time; 
What happened on the first part of the voyage? 
How did the sailors treat Columbus ; 
How did he quell their mutiny; 
What is said about signs of land? 
What about the discovery of land? 
What did he find there? 

How did Spain receive Columbus on his return? 
What is said about the last voyage of Columbus? 
How many did he make?. What about his old age? 
What of his death and burial? 

What estimation can we place on the discovery of 
America to us as a Nation? 



M*R 



1 19U¥ 



